Political tension has reached a critical peak in Bayelsa following the sudden death of Deputy Governor Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, who collapsed in his office yesterday afternoon. His unexpected passing has sparked widespread shock and immediate speculation over whether his death, officially reported as a heart attack, was natural or the result of suspected foul play linked to his staunch refusal to defect to the ruling party. As tributes pour into Government House at Creek Haven, conflicting reports detail the frantic efforts to save the influential politician, leaving the state capital gripped by disbelief.
The incident that led to his death began on Thursday afternoon. Sources indicate that Mr. Ewhrudjakpo, a seasoned lawyer, had just returned to his office in Government House from a public function and was preparing for a communal reconciliatory meeting when he suddenly collapsed at about 1:30 pm.
Security officials and aides immediately rushed the Deputy Governor to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Yenagoa. Despite the initial report that he was stabilised in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) after a prolonged struggle by doctors, the FMC management reportedly assembled a team of cardiac specialists to facilitate his transfer to a hospital in Port Harcourt.
Conflicting reports have emerged regarding the location of his demise, with one source stating he passed away in the ambulance en route to Port Harcourt, and another insisting he died at the FMC in Yenagoa after the stabilisation effort failed. Mr. Ewhrudjakpo was sixty years old.
The reported cause of death, a heart attack; has been met with widespread disbelief and suspicion across the state capital. Many Bayelsans have openly questioned whether the death was natural or the result of “remote control,” arguing that the deceased had no known history of cardiac ailments throughout his eight years as commissioner and more than six years as the state’s number two citizen.
These suspicions are strongly linked to the political tensions Mr. Ewhrudjakpo had faced recently. He had reportedly come under intense pressure for refusing to defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) alongside his principal, Governor Douye Diri, and other political figures.
Sources close to the deceased say the hardworking Deputy Governor faced aggressive attacks from politicians who viewed his stance as a betrayal. This antagonism culminated in a move by the 24-member state legislature to initiate impeachment proceedings against him.
Sensing a real threat, Mr. Ewhrudjakpo approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an injunction to restrain the legislature from removing him. He also requested the court to bar the state Attorney General, the Commissioner for Justice, and the Commissioner of Police from undermining his duties.
The impeachment crisis was eventually stalled after Governor Diri intervened. The Sampou-born governor assured his Deputy that no one could impeach him solely for refusing to defect, an intervention that, along with other appeals for restraint, eased the rising tensions that threatened to destabilise the homogeneous Ijaw state.
Mr. Ewhrudjakpo was widely considered Governor Diri’s backbone and confidant. He was also regarded as a formidable political figure and “crowd puller,” making his refusal to defect a major source of unease for many newly defected politicians.
The state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) confirmed his passing, describing it as a huge and painful loss to the party, his community, and the entire Bayelsa State.
Meanwhile, Governor Douye Diri, who had travelled to the United Kingdom over the weekend, is expected to cut short his trip and return to the state immediately. He was originally scheduled to return on December 20. Dozens of Bayelsans continue to visit the Deputy Governor’s residence in Government House to condole with the family over the tragic loss.
